From the earliest human civilizations to the present day, magic has been a fixture in our culture, encompassing everything from alchemy and witchcraft to astrology and the Kabbalah. This history delves into ritual magic in particular, with emphasis on the contributions of Aleister Crowley, Eliphas Lévi, and Joséphin Péladan, as well as such organizations as the Golden Dawn and the Salon de la Rose et Croix. Dozens of illustrations show how magic has been depicted through the ages, with works by Hieronymus Bosch, Aubrey Beardsley, Henry Fuseli, Max Ernst, and Odilon Redon.